# Freeze Everything!



## Tapewormboy (Apr 18, 2006)

Just got a box of Bolivar Gold Medals yesterday and found a LIVE beetle eating away at one of the sticks. This is a 2007 box!!! (TEB AGO 07)

It was just in its larval stage, meaning it hatched recently. I'm guessing he hatched before shipping since the larval stage is supposed to last for 5-10 weeks. The box was only traveling for 1 week. I noticed a bunch of beetle feces in the box and the rest of the box has gone into the freezer.

I'd been reluctant with the whole freezing process until now.

FREEZE EVERYTHING!!!

Here's some pictures:

*Box with feces:*









*After tapping the cigar on a piece of paper (I was studying at the time):*









*I felt a soft spot near the foot and started digging with a paper clip to see if I could find him. You can see him in the groove:*









*White, fuzzy, and still moving:*


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## mikeyj23 (Feb 25, 2007)

Don't freeze the box - call the vendor, send the box back, get a refund and order from someone else. Explain to them what happened and I'd be surprised if they didn't match the original price. :2


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## Tapewormboy (Apr 18, 2006)

I've dealt with it already on the vendor side and everything is taken care of. 

I just wanted to let people know that Habanos' supposed freezing practices aren't 100% effective.


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## Lanthor (Jun 16, 2007)

Tapewormboy said:


> I've dealt with it already on the vendor side and everything is taken care of.
> 
> I just wanted to let people know that Habanos' supposed freezing practices aren't 100% effective.


What tipped you off, could you see the hole in the foot, was there thay much beetle crap? I am sure I would easily confuse beetle crap with little pieces of tobacco.


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## ForestPuma (Jun 28, 2007)

This type of stuff scares the crap out of me. Be right back....going to turn down my Vinotemp. :ss

Seriously I have boxes and cabs that I have yet to open. I really need to get into the habit of cracking and checking every box.


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## Tapewormboy (Apr 18, 2006)

Lanthor said:


> What tipped you off, could you see the hole in the foot, was there thay much beetle crap? I am sure I would easily confuse beetle crap with little pieces of tobacco.


There was no hole in the cigar itself, but the beetle poop is a dead giveaway. It's very different looking from pieces of tobacco.

There was one stick in particular that had feces coming out of it, so I felt it up and the foot had a soft spot. After a little digging I found him.


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## newcigarz (Feb 11, 2007)

That sucks. It has to be easier to spot in a Dress box than a Cab or SLB.


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## D. Generate (Jul 1, 2004)

I had an outbreak near the end of last year that started in an 07 box of Boli PC. Lost several boxes and some special, rather old individuals.

This happened in London late last year, hardly tropical. My cigars were in a cooler and never got near 70F that I was aware of.

I'm of the opinion now that you either freeze, or you just haven't had an outbreak yet.

Good thing you caught it. It can get real ugly real fast.


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## Tapewormboy (Apr 18, 2006)

Beachcougar said:


> This type of stuff scares the crap out of me. Be right back....going to turn down my Vinotemp. :ss
> 
> Seriously I have boxes and cabs that I have yet to open. I really need to get into the habit of cracking and checking every box.


I would never have sealed uninspected boxes in the humidor. That's just trouble. :2


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## the nub (Mar 24, 2006)

People have been lulled into a sense of security now that Habanos has started freezing. I still freeze everything. The factories are full of tobacco that hasn't been frozen. It's not hard to imagine beetles making their way from bales of tobacco and into the area where master cases are stored. It's not like there is a freezer zone between each section of the factory preventing beetles from entering.


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## BamaDoc77 (Jan 31, 2007)

the nub said:


> People have been lulled into a sense of security now that Habanos has started freezing. I still freeze everything. The factories are full of tobacco that hasn't been frozen. It's not hard to imagine beetles making their way from bales of tobacco and into the area where master cases are stored. It's not like there is a freezer zone between each section of the factory preventing beetles from entering.


:tpd:


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## moki (Jan 12, 2004)

Reminds me of  Chuckie 

Sorry to hear about your loss, Tapewormboy.


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## Tapewormboy (Apr 18, 2006)

moki said:


> Reminds me of  Chuckie
> 
> Sorry to hear about your loss, Tapewormboy.


Yea, I remembered your Chuckie when I found mine!


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## ucla695 (Jun 27, 2006)

Thanks for the heads-up. I know what I'm doing tonight...inspecting all of my boxes.


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## One Lonely Smoker (Jan 21, 2005)

It's kinda F'ed up that there is not one picture of a beetle hole, just some dust. I don't freeze anything, I never will freeze anything, and experts can't MAKE me freeze anything.
:r


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## SilverFox (Feb 19, 2008)

One Lonely Smoker said:


> It's kinda F'ed up that there is not one picture of a beetle hole, just some dust. I don't freeze anything, I never will freeze anything, and experts can't MAKE me freeze anything.
> :r


If you opened up your humi and saw this....................would that change your mind on freezing ???


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## JCK (Nov 9, 2006)

Glad you caught this early.

How does a beetle make it out of one sealed box into another?


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## jkorp (Sep 27, 2007)

I noticed a beetle larva in the foot of a BGM, from a JUL 07 box. Froze everything at that point. I say at least freeze all CCs because you just don't know...


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## D. Generate (Jul 1, 2004)

One Lonely Smoker said:


> It's kinda F'ed up that there is not one picture of a beetle hole, just some dust. I don't freeze anything, I never will freeze anything, and experts can't MAKE me freeze anything.
> :r


No expert made me freeze my cigars, but some beetles did. I definitely had beetles too, not just dust. They were line dancing down a Sir Winston after turning many of my beauties into flutes.

I was pretty nervous about freezing them, but I honestly haven't noticed any difference whatsoever in flavour. It might be that some vendors take precautions against them as I never had a problem. The box that introduced them came from the Madrid airport. Even if it was just a bad draw, I won't buy cigars there again.

Good to see you around.


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## Barrythevic (Jan 1, 2000)

khubli said:


> Glad you caught this early.
> 
> How does a beetle make it out of one sealed box into another?


Those damn beetles can eat their way out of baggies and cardboard no problem!

I had a horrible problem about 4 years ago, it started in a box of HDRM double coronas and spread to about 6 other boxes.

Poker took pictures of what was left of several sticks!

Never underestimate the feeding frenzy of those bastards!


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## JCK (Nov 9, 2006)

man you guys are making me nervous, box from august and box from july 07 with beetles? I have a few from July that I now feel the need to inspect more closely.


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## Boston_Dude05 (Oct 10, 2006)

Good thread to remind us we're not safe.


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## ForestPuma (Jun 28, 2007)

I finished checking every box I had just to make sure. I now will probably freeze seeing that these threads are popping up more frequently.


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## Jay Hemingway-cl (Oct 21, 2007)

a beetle just popped out of a fonseca #1 i had. luckely i found him in a custom rolled a few sticks down, what a little piece of sh*t! i froze everything. took about 3 weeks before the sticks were tasting 100% again. i keep any new boxes i get in, seperated in a ziplock for a few weeks before i put them in with the rest of the herd. i also check all my sticks once a month to be safe. with these damb RE prices i can't let them get eaten away due to my ignorance, only takes about 10 minutes to check the boxes.


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## Blueface (May 28, 2005)

Glad you caught it early and got it resolved with the vendor.

Personally, I have never ever had a problem with stuff I have gotten from vendors.
Only outbreak dad and I ever had was with a fugazzi box of R&J Churchills sent by a relative as a way of saying thanks to dad for the support he sent them. They spent a fortune on that box that was fake and ruined my dad's humi with many Annis. Luckily, I placed them in a second humi and mine was only the loss of the gifted cigars.

I store them all in my humi in their original boxes. Loose ones go in multiple large zip lock bags and then in the humi. I believe both methods provide them (beetles) ample food to stay in their packaged box so if do lose anything, it will that box or bag.

Fortunately, have never seen them again for 12 yrs or so.


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## Lamar (Dec 12, 1997)

A few weeks may not be enough time since the little buggers have up to a year to lie dormant. I freeze everything always for the peace of mind that it gives me.



Jay Hemingway said:


> a beetle just popped out of a fonseca #1 i had. luckely i found him in a custom rolled a few sticks down, what a little piece of sh*t! i froze everything. took about 3 weeks before the sticks were tasting 100% again. i keep any new boxes i get in, seperated in a ziplock for a few weeks before i put them in with the rest of the herd. i also check all my sticks once a month to be safe. with these damb RE prices i can't let them get eaten away due to my ignorance, only takes about 10 minutes to check the boxes.


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## Bax (Sep 12, 2007)

Beachcougar said:


> This type of stuff scares the crap out of me. Be right back....going to turn down my Vinotemp. :ss
> 
> Seriously I have boxes and cabs that I have yet to open. I really need to get into the habit of cracking and checking every box.


Send them to me and I'll open them for you. Any bad sticks I'll keep and send the rest back to you... I suspect there's lots of beetles:tu


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## Da Klugs (Jan 8, 2005)

You guys are freaking me out.


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## Fredster (Jan 26, 2004)

Just finished my walk in and I'm not freezing anything anymore. Beetle eggs can't hatch at 64 degrees.:tu


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## SMcGregor (Dec 4, 2006)

Sorry to hear about the beetles! That really does suck! 

Shawn


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## chenvt (Apr 12, 2008)

Just went through my smokes and inspected each one.. beetle free!


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## MeNimbus (Dec 18, 2006)

Da Klugs said:


> You guys are freaking me out.


Me too as well and I don't have time to inspect every single stick. :hn


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## n3uka (Nov 13, 2006)

Da Klugs said:


> You guys are freaking me out.


I'm still looking for a job. You could hire me to guard your collection  :r


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## stevieray (Sep 28, 2006)

Da Klugs said:


> You guys are freaking me out.


 :tpd: truer words have never been spoken


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## RGD (May 10, 2006)

Fredster said:


> Just finished my walk in and I'm not freezing anything anymore. Beetle eggs can't hatch at 64 degrees.:tu


Yep - got my Freezerdor set to 62/64 degrees - :ss

Ron


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## CoopnGA (Mar 12, 2008)

Da Klugs said:


> You guys are freaking me out.


:tpd:


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## BigVito (Jan 1, 2000)

no freezing here, I will wait until after the outbreak.


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## burninator (Jul 11, 2006)

Da Klugs said:


> You guys are freaking me out.


Just now? I been freaked out by most of these folks since the day I joined.


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## Papichulo (Jan 21, 2007)

There has been so much talk about this. So do you really have to deep freeze or does your regular fridge (freezer) work? THere are a lot of opinions, but is there some good info on deep freezing or not. I do not own a deep freezer.


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## burninator (Jul 11, 2006)

Papichulo said:


> There has been so much talk about this. So do you really have to deep freeze or does your regular fridge (freezer) work? THere are a lot of opinions, but is there some good info on deep freezing or not. *I do not own a deep freezer.*


Guess I'll have to rethink that pork bomb I was going to send you! :r


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## FattyCBR (Feb 22, 2007)

Does anyone know if the NC factories freeze everything? Mine are intermixed. When people inspect are they handling every stick or just popping open each box for a 10 second glance?


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## Papichulo (Jan 21, 2007)

burninator said:


> Guess I'll have to rethink that pork bomb I was going to send you! :r


:r:r Jason, a pork bomb :chk:chk


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## pistolero (Jan 20, 2008)

burninator said:


> Just now? I been freaked out by most of these folks since the day I joined.


:r:r:r


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## jloutlaw (Feb 22, 2007)

Fredster said:


> Just finished my walk in and I'm not freezing anything anymore. Beetle eggs can't hatch at 64 degrees.:tu


My wineador is 63 and put a new box of Hoyo Petit Robutos in Tuesday. Smoked the 2nd one Saturday and it had a beetle hole. I checked the rest of the box more closely than I did when I received them and found no more damage, but a live beetle in the bottom of the box. Can they survive in the 60's? I'm guessing just the one bug. No dust and only the one hole. I'm freezing them to be safe.


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## dvickery (Jan 1, 2000)

jloutlaw said:


> Can they survive in the 60's?


yes...eggs will be viable up to 6 weeks at 60f(16c)...6 weeks at 60f(16c) should result in 100% lethality to eggs.

derrek


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## SteveDMatt (Feb 23, 2007)

I just went to check out my coolers.......

This beetle only had one of my cigars, but I'm sure if I left him in my basement with my coolers, he would have done a lot of damage.


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